


Lost

by HeatherGiesbrecht



Category: The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert (1994), The Matrix (Movies)
Genre: Before The Matrix, Before and after Priscilla, During A/U Matrix Reloaded, M/M, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-31
Updated: 2014-05-31
Packaged: 2018-01-27 18:36:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1719245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeatherGiesbrecht/pseuds/HeatherGiesbrecht
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Completely lost, that's what he was utterly lost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1998

_1998, Sydney, Australia_

Tom shook his head and pushed black-hair out of his eyes, before he looked around the alley. This confirmed it, he was completely and utterly lost. He really should have taken the hot blond, blue-eyed man up on his offer a few minutes ago. Not even drunk and he was lost, with two days before Mr. Rhineheart wanted him back at work. So, that equalled one day to find his way out of here. If he didn’t, Rhineheart would have a reason to cut his pay for ‘missing‘. As if the man really needed a good reason, the first sign of something wrong in Metacor-Tech and he was blamed.

Noise at the other end of the alley made him turn. A group of four guys, obviously drunk, milled there. One of them, a blond man, spotted him and laughed, “Look at that, I think somebody lost their puppy.”

The Australian accent was so thick and the man talked so fast he barely understood. Somebody with red-hair replied as they walked toward him,“Nah, he **is** the puppy. Look at him, standing there…completely helpless, ain‘t even running.”

At those words he broke out of his terrified stupor. When he turned, he startled someone stood behind him. This guy who wore a loose, black buttoned shirt and fitted, black-pants had really short brown-hair, tanned-skin and dark-gray eyes.

The man raised an eyebrow and his posture seemed to say,“What are you waiting for ? Well, go.”

Impossibly grateful, he nodded before he forced himself to start walking away. He didn’t want the man getting hurt because of him, “Be careful.”

Gray-eyes laughed and smirked in response, yet, didn’t answer. Because of that, he couldn’t leave the alley‘s sightline. Couldn’t force himself to leave the man alone in case he got hurt…or killed. If anything happened to the guy it’d be his fault; Gray-eyes hadn’t had to stop and help him but he had anyway.

It made him gasp as rain poured out of a previously cloud-free night time sky. As everything was muffled by the rain, it made his new anxiety spike. A mantra started in his head - Let him be all right, please, let him be all right.

Seconds later, he sighed as Gray-eyes walked out of the alley. While his eyes darted looking for injuries, he walked over to the brown-haired man. Gray-eyes folded his arms and asked, deliberately slowly, “Are you all right, Blondie ?”

It thrilled him to hear the man sound concerned about him. Still, it was probably for nothing. Doubted that Gray-eyes would like him at all.

For a half-second he stared incredibly confused at the Australian man. His response was less than elegant, “Uh, wha…oh.” until it hit him and he laughed. It took a while to get used to the ironic nicknames, he supposed. Blinked rain out of his eyes, as he replied blushing, “I’m fine, thanks for that. I’m Tom, Tom Anderson.”

The man laughed softly, “Name’s Anthony Belrose, call me Tick. Don’t worry about it, Tom.”

Warm shivers went down his spine, his name didn’t sound quite as ordinary in that accent. When he shook Tick’s hand the man grinned, the nickname was quite unusual. Almost like his own alias of Neo in his search for the Matrix.

He asked, “Okay, well, Tick what’re you doing for the rest of the night ?”

“Depends, are you still lost ?”

Raised his own eyebrow, “Have to ask ?”

“Nah, c’mon it’s cold or didn’t you notice.”

Shook his head and told the man where he was staying. Shivered again before he followed after Tick. Mere minutes later when they got closer to his hotel, he realized he didn’t want the man to leave. As they stopped under the hotel’s awning he saw that, thankfully, he wasn’t the only one who’d had that thought.

That first kiss was soft as they both waited for the other to move away. When Tick didn’t move he ran a hand through brown-hair and deepened the kiss. Opened his eyes as a groan escaped from Tick. Tanned-skin blushed as Tick pulled away to say, “Been awhile.”

Those words made him stare, it was hard for him to believe that. Shrugged,“It doesn’t matter to me. If you don’t…”

“Oh no, I do want you.”


	2. 1999

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He wondered if Tick'd even remember him.

_1999,’New York’, ‘United States’_

Neo sighed and looked around the courtyard where he had fought with Smith weeks ago. Since then he hadn’t even seen the brown-haired, blue-eyed ex-Agent. It made him oddly worry…for Smith. If Tick did show up, would he run into Smith ? Either way, he’d probably never catch up with Tick, like he‘d promised nearly two years ago now. Still, he wanted the man to see how he’d changed. Wondered if Tick even remembered him.

Footsteps echoed behind him, “How are you, Tom ?”

He turned around to see Tick,“Been better, you ?”

Tick hadn’t changed at all, except that now he wore a white-shirt, instead of black. It also frightened him, how much Tick reminded him of Smith. If only because he hadn’t known Smith before he’d met Tick.

“Pretty good, pretty good. Look about…”

Shook his head and replied,“Don’t worry about it, unless you got lost too. After all, I never got lost with you, found my way nicely.”

Tick grinned and walked up to him,“Indeed, but unfortunately I didn’t get lost.”

Pushed hair out of his eyes, then muttered,“Lucky bastard and I didn’t even know you were here.”

“Well, you found out now didn’t you ? Fun‘s not quite over yet, unlucky you.”

“Why unlucky me ?”

Tanned hands took his, before the right one slid slowly up his arm to his shoulder. This time it was Tick who pulled him into a deep kiss. His arms wrapped around the other man’s sides. As his hands drifted down Ticks’ sides, it startled him to feel a holstered gun. Why would Tick have a gun ?

Startled as the familiar Australian voice asked against his lips, though slightly deeper, “Are you all right, Blondie ?”

That made him pull away, confused and lost like the first time they’d met. When Tick’s eyes opened, one was dark-gray, the other was light…blue.

Disbelief mingled with betrayal flooded through him. Tears stung before he turned away, “What the fuck ? Did you plan it with them ? Why didn’t you just let them kill me, Smith ? Why did you save me ? Why did you let me… ? Just to turn around and humiliate me now.”

A hand gently gripped his wrist, Ti - Smith‘s voice was rough, “I didn’t plan it, that was the Merovingian and when I saw you…I just couldn’t let them kill you. Before I got that ‘human’ life, I would have felt a twinge of guilt and nothing else. I can’t explain it, it’s too confusing, but those people truly exist and I care about them, like you in a life that at first I didn‘t even want. When I met you, it was just after my Agent memories came back. You don’t know how many times I wanted to try and explain. In that damned room, Neo, I didn’t want to manipulate or frighten you. You weren’t the only one being manipulated that day, if I hadn’t done it they would have killed you. If I had tried before I changed your memory to a dream, you would have been terrified of me. Then after I never got the chance to be alone with you without being monitored, until I had to kill you.”

His choked response, “What about after ?“ as he turned back.

Now, he could see a few tears as Smith/Tick answered, “I was half crazy from stress, until I saw and talked to you again. I know I don’t deserve you after all this, but I love you Neo, Tom Anderson.“

“I love you too, Smith, Tick Belrose.”

It was Smith who pushed him to the side and he saw the Desert Eagle’s barrel glint in the light. Moved away before he could get deafened by the shots. A few seconds later, he turned to see a gray-haired program land on the ground as the code flashed. The program still held a gun and looked like he’d been ready to shoot them.

A laugh from Smith as he walked up to the deleted program, “Doesn’t he just look _fab-ulous_ , dear ?”

That made him burst out laughing, “ I think he needs another shot…just in case. Doesn’t he know drinking lead is bad ?”

Another shot before Tick grinned, “I guess not, Tom.” before they turned and walked away.

He asked, “So, who else’s in the family ?”

“Benji’s going to love you. Think you’ll still get lost ?”

“I’ve got you don’t I, Tick ? Who’s Benji ?”

Tick ran a hand through his hair, “My son, he’s a good kid shouldn’t be able to complain about you. Mind, Felicia might complain you’re too pretty for me. You’d make a bloody good addition to our Drag show though. What’ a ya think ?“

It sounded like a nice idea, something different…but who knew if he’d do any good in heels. “I’ll probably know for sure by the time we get to Benji.“

“Back to Sydney it is then.”

His cell rang in his pocket, he took it out and dropped it. If someone wanted him, they could talk in person. He had better things to do like embarrass himself in front of Benji.


End file.
